The Chicago Bears and the New York Jets are both 1-1. The Bears lost a game they should have won but then scored an upset. The Jets beat Oakland and then failed to upset Green Bay.
Chicago Bears @ New York Jets
Monday, September 22nd – 8:35 PM ET
Odds: New York Jets -1.5
Why The Bears Will Cover
They should be able to contain the Jets’ offense as New York’s offense gained only 312 yards last week against Green Bay, and the week before, New York mustered only 19 points at home against the Oakland Raiders. The Jets just don’t have a quarterback they can really count on, at least not yet. Geno Smith shows flashes of talent at times, but the book on him is still very accurate. If you make Smith throw the ball long, he’s going to make a mistake, usually sooner rather than later. The Jets have had to work with Smith about making him a more patient quarterback, someone who is willing to check down to his running back or his third read against a defense, instead of forcing the ball down the field at all times. When the Jets do the right thing as far as Smith is concerned, they still wind up sacrificing the big play. This is going to be a constant problem for their offense, and it’s something the Bears’ defense can exploit.
Chicago forced four turnovers last Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers and another quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, who is prone to making mistakes. If Chicago could confuse Kaepernick in the second half of a game, the Bears’ defense can also make life difficult for Geno Smith in this one.
Why The Jets Will Cover
They are catching the Bears at the right time. New York will be facing a Chicago team that will be without its trusty cornerback, Charles Tillman. The player nicknamed “Peanut” suffered a triceps injury against the San Francisco 49ers, one that will end his season and could very possibly mean the end of his career as well. This is a devastating blow for the Bears, because as everyone who follows the NFL knows, Tillman was a turnover artist and a master at stripping the ball from a ball-carrier. The Bears are going to have a very hard time stomaching this loss, though first-round pick Kyle Fuller has played well in his place.
Another reason the Jets are in good position to win this game is that the Bears’ offense was really not that good at all against San Francisco in week two. Chicago managed only 216 yards of offense. Without getting a series of turnovers from Colin Kaepernick, the Bears would not have scored 28 points. They probably would have finished with 14. If the Bears score only 14 to 17 points here, that won’t be enough.
Outlook
The Charles Tillman injury is a big factor in a game that’s expected to be close. Give the Jets the nod for that reason, and because the Bears are still waiting to play their first really strong offensive game of the season.
Pick: New York Jets -1.5
